The Old Courts is a not-for-profit multi-arts centre built into Wigan's former County Court buildings and Gerrard Winstanley House, in the town centre. It runs two music rooms — the main one a 275-capacity standing venue with a stage, PA, fully stocked bar and a private outdoor terrace — alongside a 187-seat tiered theatre, an art gallery, the Victorian Court Room, rehearsal rooms and flexible performance space. The programme covers indie, rock, acoustic, folk and comedy, and an in-house engineer runs sound. Because it is a charity rather than a commercial operator, it is one of the more approachable rooms in Greater Manchester for an act that hasn't broken yet.
Wigan · Every last Thursday of the month · No fee listed
The Old Courts Open Mic
Wigan's Tuesday-night free open mic — arts venue, full backline.
Next night: Thu 26 Nov. Kick-off 20:00, sign-up from 19:30. 12-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 5 Oct 202620:00
Kick-off
Thursdays
sign-up from 19:30Thursdays
| Night | Every last Thursday of the month |
| Sign-up | 19:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 12 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · all ages |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
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0 members voted to bring the venue onto GigXchange02 — The details
Before you goEverything you need to know
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Member votes
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| Capacity | c. 120 standing |
| Performer types | Musicians · Poets |
| Host | Chonkinfeckle |
| Website | theoldcourts.com |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Checked against | Web listing |
03 — The night
Every last Thursday of the monthHow the night runs
20:00
Kick-off
ThursdaysRunning order
19:30 Sign-up· Walk-in, ask for Chonkinfeckle
20:00 Kick-off· 12-minute slots
23:00 Last songs
04 — Find The Old Courts
Town CentreGetting there
King Street West,
Town Centre, Wigan WN1 1NA
Town Centre, Wigan WN1 1NA
The nearest station is Wigan Wallgate (rail station), about 5 minutes' walk away.
05 — What's on stage
3 provided| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | Bring your own |
| Guitar amp | Bring your own |
| Bass amp | Bring your own |
| Keys / keyboard | Bring your own |
| 2 vocal mics | Provided |
| In-house engineer | Provided |
06 — About
Town Centre, WiganAbout the night
The Old Courts is a converted Victorian courthouse and multi-disciplinary arts centre in Wigan town centre. The open mic runs in the Bailiff Bar on the last Thursday of every month, hosted by local band Chonkinfeckle, with free entry - open, in the hosts' words, to "ALL instruments and singers alike, poets, expressive dance...ANYTHING GOES!". The venue's Thursday programme also carries Unlocked on the first Thursday (original artists from all genres, presented by Tommy Jones of QSOE) and Open Mic Poetry on the second Thursday in conjunction with Write Out Loud, which welcomes "established poets and newcomers alike to a friendly and supportive night of words". The old weekly Tuesday open mic no longer runs.
Sign-up process
Walk-in on the night.
Getting there
Gerrard Winstanley House, Crawford Street, WN1 1NA. 5 minutes from Wigan North Western Rail.
The venue
All ages. Capacity c. 120. Proper stage, PA and in-house sound engineer.
The Old Courts is a not-for-profit multi-arts centre built into Wigan's former County Court buildings and Gerrard Winstanley House, in the town centre. It runs two music rooms — the main one a 275-capacity standing venue with a stage, PA, fully stocked bar and a private outdoor terrace — alongside a 187-seat tiered theatre, an art gallery, the Victorian Court Room, rehearsal rooms and flexible performance space. The programme covers indie, rock, acoustic, folk and comedy, and an in-house engineer runs sound. Because it is a charity rather than a commercial operator, it is one of the more approachable rooms in Greater Manchester for an act that hasn't broken yet.
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Town Centre · Every last Thursday of the month
The Old Courts Open Mic
Wigan's Tuesday-night free open mic — arts venue, full backline. Starts at 20:00.
- Thursday
- Open mic night
- May 2026
- Listed since
- 5 Oct
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- 12 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Wigan open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Old Courts Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Old Courts Open Mic runs on the last Thursday of the month at The Old Courts in Wigan, starting at 20:00 with sign-up from 19:30. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last verified 5 Oct 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See The Old Courts’s venue page →
The night Every last Thursday of the month
Music starts around 20:00, finishing about 23:00. It's walk-in sign-up, with the list opening at 19:30 - arrive early to get a slot. Each act gets about 12 minutes, so the night holds around 15 acts. There is a PA listed - ask what else is on stage before you load in. Chonkinfeckle hosts the night.
Next nightThu 26 Nov · 20:00Starts in 13d 12h 08m
AgeAll ages
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
Capacityc. 120 standing
Who playsMusicians · Poets
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerIn-house, included
HostChonkinfeckle
Directory statusVerified active
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
Websitetheoldcourts.com
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know. We review corrections within 7 days.
NightThursdayEvery last Thursday of the monthNext: Thu 26 Nov
Starts20:00until 23:00
Sign-up19:30Walk-in
Slots12minutes eachRoom for about 15 acts
What’s on in Wigan this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Old Courts is a converted Victorian courthouse and multi-disciplinary arts centre in Wigan town centre. The open mic runs in the Bailiff Bar on the last Thursday of every month, hosted by local band Chonkinfeckle, with free entry - open, in the hosts' words, to "ALL instruments and singers alike, poets, expressive dance...ANYTHING GOES!". The venue's Thursday programme also carries Unlocked on the first Thursday (original artists from all genres, presented by Tommy Jones of QSOE) and Open Mic Poetry on the second Thursday in conjunction with Write Out Loud, which welcomes "established poets and newcomers alike to a friendly and supportive night of words". The old weekly Tuesday open mic no longer runs.
Sign-up process
Walk-in on the night.
Getting there
Gerrard Winstanley House, Crawford Street, WN1 1NA. 5 minutes from Wigan North Western Rail.
The venue
All ages. Capacity c. 120. Proper stage, PA and in-house sound engineer.
Equipment and backline at this venue — what's on stage, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitBring your own
Guitar ampBring your own
Bass ampBring your own
Keys / keyboardBring your own
2 vocal micsProvided
In-house engineerProvided
The Night at a Glance
How The Old Courts’s Thursday night runs.
Next nightThu 26 Nov · 20:00Starts in 13d 12h 08m
Sign-up opens19:30Walk-in on the night
Kick-off20:00Every last Thursday of the month
Music ends23:00Last act finishes
Slots12minutes eachroom for about 15 acts
How often
Every last Thursday of the month
Coming up
Thu 26 Nov · Thu 31 Dec · Thu 28 Jan
Kit
The Old Courts provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics and an in-house sound engineer; bring your own drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp and keys.
First time here?
Arrive for 19:30 to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on, and plan a set that fits 12 minutes.
Find The Old Courts
King Street West, Town Centre, Wigan WN1 1NA
AddressKing Street West
AreaTown Centre, Wigan
PostcodeWN1 1NA
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Wigan Wallgate (rail station), about 5 minutes' walk away. The Old Courts is in Town Centre, Wigan — use WN1 1NA for sat-nav, taxis and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station before you set off.
Open mics nearby
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. The open mic runs until about 23:00. The Old Courts provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics and an in-house sound engineer; bring your own drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp and keys.
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Common Questions
9 things people want to know before Wigan's The Old Courts open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Wigan open mic nights for alternatives.
The Old Courts provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics and an in-house sound engineer; bring your own drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp and keys.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
No entry fee is listed for The Old Courts's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Wigan open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
King Street West, Town Centre, Wigan WN1 1NA.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Wigan regulars across the Wigan open mic scene. Wigan open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Wigan Wallgate (rail station), about 5 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is WN1 1NA. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, from 19:30, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails - the venue's own website is linked on this page. Browse other Wigan open mics.
Venues Near The Old Courts
No other gigs are listed at The Old Courts in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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The Old Courts open mic in brief. The Old Courts open mic runs every last Thursday of the month from 20:00 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 19:30 and slots run about 12 minutes. The Old Courts’ venue page lists its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. For a different night this week, the open mics near Wigan are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Wigan? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
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09 — More Wigan open mics
All ›Looking for paid gigs, not open mics? See Wigan gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Old Courts
All ›More rooms near The Old Courts: Cactus Ray's, Chew's Yard, Foxtails Chorley, Guild Ale House, Hopwoods Tap House, Hopworks Brew Co. Tap, Lea Social Club, Molly O'Malleys, New Continental, Prince Of Wales and Ships and Giggles.
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